Sahel summit boosts cooperation for combating terrorism & COVID-19 pandemic

Ahmed Adel

Leaders of the G5 Sahel countries held a summit on April 27 via videoconference.  The summit was called by Mohamed Ould Ghazouani, President of Mauritania and current Chair of the G5 Sahel. Presidents of Mali, Niger, Chad and Burkina Faso attended the videoconference.

The African leaders stressed the necessity of continuing joint efforts against violent extremism and terrorist threats. The summit also overviewed the repercussions of the coronavirus pandemic on security, stability and development in the Sahel region and the whole world. The leaders stressed the need to collaborate efforts to curb the deadly pandemic.

The Mauritanian radio service said the summit focused on security economic issues as well as the negative impacts of COVID-19 pandemic on security, stability and development in the Sahel region and the world.

Mauritania has been less affected by COVID-19 pandemic as all infected cases there have recovered. However, the pandemic has killed a number of people in Mali and Burkina Faso.

It’s noteworthy that Britain and the United States said they would continue their support to the French military Operation Barkhane in the Sahel region against terrorist organizations. The US and British are contributing significantly to the combating of terrorist groups in the Sahel region.

In January, French President Emmanuel Macron hosted the Pau Summit, in which the 5 Sahel countries: Chad, Niger, Burkina Faso, Mali and Mauritania took part.

Macron announced at Pau the strengthening of military cooperation with the G5 Sahel countries to combat terrorism that threatens the region. He announced the formation of a new international taskforce known as Takuba, comprising forces from 10 European countries: France, Estonia, Portugal, Sweden, Ireland, the Netherlands, Italy, Belgium, Norway and Denmark.

The Takuba taskforce, which will be integrated with Operation Barkhane, is aimed at training units from Mali’s army and develop the operational capabilities of local forces in the face of terrorist organizations in the Sahel region.